United Way East Ontario’s Community Builder Award program recognizes the outstanding volunteers and champions that help make our cities and towns a better place to live for everyone. Together with Apt613 we shine the light on volunteers across Prescott-Russell, Ottawa, Lanark County, and Renfrew County.
On the morning of Tuesday, March 5, 130 people gathered at the Women Angel Investor Breakfast, an event as part of Invest Ottawa’s month-long International Women’s Month celebrations.
Attendees engaged in thoughtful panel discussions and Q&As with women founders and CEOs like Seema Aurora, Shelina Lalji, Sarah Sedgman, and Julia Elvidge, to name a few. Following their insightful conversations, Sonya Shorey, Interim President and CEO at Invest Ottawa had a fireside chat with Manjit Minhas, Co-founder and CEO at Minhas Breweries, Distilleries and Wineries, and a Dragon from Dragons’ Den, about how Manjit got into investing.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is Invest in Women. To celebrate, Jennifer Madigan, Chief Operating Officer at Syntax Strategic and a United Way East Ontario Board Member helped United Way honour a tech sector leader who has been investing in women for years.
Jennifer Francis is the latest Community Builder Award recipient. She goes above and beyond to mentor and empower women and girls to excel in work and life. Her continuous examples of hard work and mentorship inspire others to build stronger, healthier, and inclusive communities for everyone.
Jennifer Madigan & Jennifer Francis with Award. Photo provided.
Jennifer Francis
Jennifer Francis. Photo provided.
Jennifer Francis is a retired tech leader who is passionate about supporting women’s growth in industries that have traditionally been dominated by men. Drawing from her rich experiences in the tech sector, Jennifer passionately advocates for and supports women and girls in STEM fields. As a founding member of Spark—now Women United, a women’s giving initiative run by United Way East Ontario—Jennifer remains dedicated to making a tangible difference for women in our communities, always looking for ways to empower them in both life and career.
As co-founder of SheBoot, Jennifer actively builds initiatives that address gender disparities in the tech industry. SheBoot, a non-profit organization, prepares women founders to secure investments for their business ventures through specialized bootcamps. Women who go through the bootcamps gain access to training, mentorship, and business development opportunities that they may not have access to otherwise. Since its launch in March 2020, SheBoot has received more than 280 applications from aspiring women tech founders, allocated $350,000 to support their endeavours, and supported the acceleration of more than $15 million in investments as of January 2023.
Jennifer’s advocacy for women and girls in STEM extends further through her involvement in Technovation’s annual program. The global program, with a local division, invites young women high school students to participate in a three-month competition while being mentored by Jennifer and other top women in the Ottawa tech sector. She has volunteered her time and expertise for nine years and counting to help young women plan, design, and pitch mobile app start-ups.
Jennifer emphasizes the importance of fostering diversity and inclusion in the tech ecosystem. No matter what, she is there, ready to take on the next challenge to ensure women in our communities feel empowered and valued in their respective spaces.
Do you know a volunteer who has gone above and beyond to support their community? The Community Builder Awards program accepts nominations year-round! Nominate them today!
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